In this blog post, we're going to expand on the variety of teaching styles within GSD, focusing on field trips and experiential learning. In a previous blog, we discussed the traditional styles of university learning - lectures and seminars - but another exciting aspects of GSD are some of the alternative teaching methods.

Throughout your time studying GSD, there are opportunities to learn through field trips. As someone with a short attention span for reading, learning through experience has been both helpful and rewarding. A particular favourite of mine was the optional field trip to a local, commercial farm specialising in sustainable approaches to food production such as organic methods and diversification initiatives.

Having discussed and debated sustainable and non-sustainable farming methods at length in the classroom, most students had made up their minds about some crucial issues, like the merit of veganism for achieving sustainability or the use of genetically modified organisms.

However, discussing the real workings of the business with a farmer and exploring the farm itself raised different questions to those posed in a purely academic setting and provided a space for insightful discussions about the farm as a case study and the viability of expanding sustainable farming methods.

There are field trips with many of the GSD modules, such as the first year optional module, Biodiversity and Ecology for single honours students which involves three on-campus field exercises. Some partner departments also encourage field trips: for Life Sciences and GSD students, there is a field trip to a local river to analyse pollution levels through both chemical and biological investigations.

Experiential learning, through field trips and other exercises, can be a great way to enhance your learning. Not only are field trips more fun than sitting in a classroom, but our brains retain information learnt experientially better than information learnt through traditional styles. So, get excited about alternative learning approaches and have a look at the modules page on the GSD website to see what is on offer.

Katharine McEnery

Final-year Life Sciences and GSD student

Friday 13 December 2019